Apple today officially announced a new product launch that will take place on Tuesday, October 13. Apple’s announcement is expected to focus on new smart home products, including the long-rumored smart home hub, a new Apple TV 4K, and an updated HomePod mini.
Welcome home. October 13. pic.twitter.com/ChelGSDOTI
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) October 8, 2026
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says the new hub device is built around the new Siri AI assistant, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The hub is designed to be placed in rooms throughout your home, and will be available in both tabletop and wall-mounted versions.
He says the first version, known internally as J490, positions the screen on a half-dome-shaped base that looks similar to a HomePod mini cut in half. The other, code-named J491, is designed to be affixed to a wall using a new magnetic system.
The hub will basically be a combination of a 7-inch display on a HomePod-like speaker. Gurman also says the device’s operating system is an entirely new one, based on the Apple TV’s tvOS platform. The interface is described as a cross between tvOS, watchOS, and iOS. The screens will sport icons, widgets, and apps, as well as customizable clock faces.
Built-in facial recognition allows the hub to identify who is looking at the display resulting in personalized information, the report said. As a user approaches the hub, or moves away from it, the size of the interface elements will change.
Other features include FaceTime videoconferencing, home security monitoring and an intercom system for households with multiple Apple home devices.
The new HomePod mini is expected to get new colors, with reports claiming it will be available in green, pink, blue, white, and black. The current model comes in yellow, orange, blue, white, and midnight. The new blue looks to be a slightly lighter shade than the current offering.
The updated HomePod mini is expected to use an Apple Watch S9 chip or newer, but it may use an improved version of that chip that would offer full support for the new Apple Intelligence-powered Siri. Other features have been rumored for the new smart speaker, including the N1 chip, improved sound quality, and a newer Ultra Wideband chip.
While the new Apple TV will share a similar design to today’s model. Earlier rumors claimed the next Apple TV would be equipped with the A17 Pro chip, the oldest chip that offers Apple Intelligence support. Other internal improvements for the revamped set-top box could include Apple’s N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread.
An OLED iPad mini is also reportedly in development, and it could also be unveiled during the home event. The new iPad mini is expected to be more water-resistant with a faster chip and the first OLED display in a smaller tablet size.
We’ve also seen several rumors suggesting several Macs are coming before the end of the year, but those could be introduced at later in the year via news releases, instead of during the home product launch.
